Read the FEB ISSUE #86 of Athleisure Mag and see 9LOOKS | Burberry in mag.
PHOTO CREDIT | Pixabay/Jeff Juit
Fashion and sport have been closely intertwined for nearly a hundred years. Top athletes have always been known for wearing stylish and trendy clothing when competing in their respective sports, but today's sports stars have taken it to a new level in recent years.
There's a huge sportswear market for sports fans who like to dress like their heroes, but it's not just sportswear fashion that's important.
Major sports stars today also like to set trends outside of their respective sports, wearing clothing and accessories from some of today's leading fashion brands when going out for meals etc.
Take a closer look right here at why sports stars have become global fashion icons.
Why are sports stars today also fashion icons?
Almost every top athlete in every major sport from around the world is, in one way or another, a fashion icon, but more so in certain major sports than others. The main reason for this is money!
For example, you don't see as many fashion icons from sports that generate less money, such as darts, chess, snooker, bowling, cycling, netball, or water polo.
When it comes to sports that generate billions of dollars each year, such as NBA basketball, formula 1 motor racing, soccer/football, golf, tennis, MMA/UFC, and American football, to name just a few, there are many fashion icons. Some people also refer to these people as 'influencers.'
The major fashion labels understand the importance of brand recognition all too well, and what better way to advertise their brands than to pay the top sports stars to wear their clothing?
Perhaps your favourite sports star is LeBron James. If you see him wearing Nike-branded shorts or accessories on or off the court, you will more than likely purchase similar clothing when you next go shopping for clothes.
Similarly, if you're a fan of Lewis Hamilton and see him wearing a Rolex watch the next time he's on the red carpet, those with money looking for a new watch will be more inclined to purchase a Rolex when they next go shopping for one.
Do you still have to dress fashionably to walk into a casino?
While there are still dress codes at land-based casinos, they are nowhere near as strict as they used to be. That doesn't mean to say that it's ok to walk into a casino with holes in your shoes or loose-fitting clothing covered in dirt and stains.
You also don't need to dress like James Bond unless you are visiting a swanky casino, which only high rollers generally frequent.
The good news is that you don't need to dress sharp to bet online at an online casino or sports betting site because nobody will ever see you.
Some sites today have poker, sports betting, casino games and bingo all under one roof. They are known as sports betting casinos, and there are lots to choose from. For the ultimate list of sports betting casinos, one of the best sites you can turn to is the official Ask Gamblers website.
Which top sports stars are recognised as fashion icons?
Some of the biggest sports stars in the world (both past and present) that are recognised as fashion icons are the following people:
●NBA – LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Dennis Rodman, Allen Iverson, Russel Westbrook, Walt 'Clyde' Frazier, Jalen Green, Jordan Clarkson, Ben Simmons, D'Angelo Russel, Myles Turner, and Tyler Herro, to name just a few
● Football/Soccer – Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham, Neymar Jr, Hector Bellerin, and Marcus Rashford
● Formula 1 – Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, Daniel Ricciardo, Max Verstappen, and Lando Norris
● NFL/American Football – Odell Beckham Jr., Antonio Brown, Cam Newton, DeMarco Murray, Reggie Bush, Von Miller, Eric Decker, Victor Cruz, and Tom Brady
● Tennis – Fred Perry, Björn Borg, John McEnroe, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, and Emma Raducanu
● Golf – Tiger Woods, Payne Stewart, Sam Ryder, Billy Horschel
●UFC/MMA – Conor McGregor, Israel Adesanya, Sean O'Malley, Max Holloway, Yoshihiro' Sexyama' Akiyama, and Kamaru Usman
●Boxing – Floyd Mayweather Jr, Joe Frazier, Muhammad Ali, Jack Johnson, 'Prince' Naseem Hamed, Jack Dempsey
● Major League Baseball – Ryan Braun, David Ortiz, Evan Longoria, Cole Hamels, Justin Verlander
There are also many other sports personalities currently at the top of their game who make just as much money from wearing fashionable clothing.
These stars often sign multi-million-dollar contracts to wear clothing and accessories outside of the sports they compete in. Some of the biggest fashion brands that pay these celebrities to wear and promote their creations are the following:
● OG Yeezy
● Nike
● Adidas
● Moschino
● Gucci
● Dolce & Gabbana
● Yves Saint Laurent
● Ralph Lauren
● Versace
● Tiffany
● Prada
● Chanel
● Dior
● Giorgio Armani
You can also see stars wearing the latest outfits, watches, jewellery, and other items from various other major brands, such as Givenchy, Balenciaga, Hermes, Cartier, Alexander McQueen, and Fendi, to name just a few.
The bigger the sports star, the bigger the contract, and it's a win-win situation for both the fashion house and the athletes.
Final note
If you're looking to sign up to any of the fully licensed sports betting casinos that have been reviewed for you on the official Ask Gamblers website, you must be at least 18 years old.
When you register a free account at top-rated sites, such as Mr. Green, bet365, TonyBet, Mr. Play Casino, Rizk Casino, Dr. Bet, or BetVictor, to name just a few top sites, remember to claim your guaranteed new player welcome bonus.
The sign-up bonus often includes either a free bet, a matching deposit bonus, or free spins to try out a selection of online slot machines.
These fully licensed sports betting casinos are controlled by reputable operators with sound reputations. Renowned authorities license them in multiple top-tier online gambling jurisdictions, and they all welcome a variety of today's most trusted online payment solutions for secure deposits and withdrawals.
Read the FEB ISSUE #86 of Athleisure Mag and see ATHLEISURE BEAUTY in mag.
Read the FEB ISSUE #86 of Athleisure Mag and see GOAT MILK BEAUTY in mag.
Read the FEB ISSUE #86 of Athleisure Mag and see THE PICK ME UP in mag.
PHOTO CREDIT | Hurley
In this month’s issue, our cover story is 5 X World Surf League Women’s Champion and Team USA Surfing Olympic Gold Medalist, Carissa Moore. We talk about how she got into the sport, her passion for surfing, talks about the season, upcoming tournaments, traveling to exotic locals to do what she loves, her organization Moore Aloha and the importance of self-care. We also caught up with the first female snowboarder to win back-to-back Team USA Snowboarding Olympic Gold Medalist in Half-Pipe, 5 X Gold Medalist in of the Super Half Pipe in the X Games and ESPY Winner, Chloe Kim. We talk with her about her love for snowboarding, the importance of paying it forward to the next generation so they can have the thrill of competing her partnership with Mucinex Fast Max which supports YMCAs. We enjoyed having Leah Van Dale as our cover for our SEP ISSUE #45 in 2019 where we hung out with her during her cover shoot. This WWE star who wrestles under the name Carmella has won a number of accolades was on E! Total Divas and brings energy to the stage. We catch up with her to find out what she is up to as she is back to as she is back in the ring, how she prepares and comes down after her matches, upcoming tournaments, married Matt Polinsky/WWE’s Corey Graves, hearing how she navigates entrepreneurial opportunities as well as the importance of self-care in her life. We caught up with Restaurateur/Chef Tom Colicchio to find out we could focus on the Big Game in terms of creating dishes that we can all enjoy while also being sustainable with the use of Do Good Chicken. He also talked about when he realized he wanted to be a chef and of course he gave us the inside scoop on BRAVO’s Top Chef: World All-Stars which drops Mar 9th.
We are always excited to know more about our favorite DJs from how they started, their process and of course what we need to listen to next. We took a moment with DJ/Producer Martin Jensen to find out more about him and what we can look forward to. Elaine Welteroth is a trailblazer as the former Editor-in-Chief of Teen Vogue, Journalist, NY Times Bestselling Author, and Co-Host/Judge of BRAVO’s Project Runway, we talk about how she recently moderated an engaging panel for CIROC Stands For Black Excellence which was held at NFL House during the Super Bowl in Arizona. We talked about her takeaways from this event, how we continue to support Black journalists, the importance of NABJ and what she is working on. Whitney Cummings makes us laugh whether she is in front of the screen or behind it. She shared how her partnership with Baileys and comedy is a full circle moment, how she is celebrating St. Patrick’s Day and her upcoming shows that we should keep an eye out. When you think about nutrition that we eat for energy, fitness and to get the essentials that we need, an energy bar is our go-to. In this month’s issue, we met the OG who created this category. Jennifer Maxwell and her late husband Brian created POWERBAR in 1985 and even after selling it in 2000, her passion for staying in this category and innovating it led to her creating her latest venture, JAMBAR. We talk about how she went about starting this category, what led her to come back and how this bar combines her love for fitness, nutrition, community and music!
This month’s 9PLAYLIST comes from EDM DJ/Producer Martin Jensen. Our 9LIST STORI3S comes from Chloe Kim. Our 63MIX ROUTIN3S comes Founder of 8Greens which we have featured in a number of issues, Dawn Russell. Our 9DRIP, 9LIST STORI3S and 63MIX ROUTIN3S are 3 pages for each person’s spread.
Our monthly feature, The Art of the Snack shares a must visit to The Oval. This month’s Athleisure List comes from La Pulperia and The Juicy Lounge. As always, we have our monthly roundups of some of our favorite finds.
Read the FEB ISSUE #86 of Athleisure Mag.
PHOTO CREDITS | ZACH SHALLCROSS, SHAWNE MERRIMAN + ANTONIO GATES/ABC/Craig Sjodin | CONTESTANTS ABC/Ricky Middlesworth |
PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Bachelorette/Gizelle Hernandez
We’re back with Zach Shallcross for tonight’s latest episode of ABC’s The Bachelor. Thankfully he’s back after being out of quarantine in Tallinn, Estonia. We learn that Greer is now in quarantine. The women cheers that they hope he has a negative COVID test. He wishes Greer well as he just came off of that experience. He talks with Jesse Palmer to let him know about what he thinks of each of the women. The date card arrives - we know that Charity didn’t get her date in London, but we find out that she does get it!
He meets all of the women to get Charity, but it was nice that he had a mini-moment with all of them. This marks his first day out of quarantine. They go on a horse-drawn carriage ride through the town and watch various games that are taking place in the town. Kat talks with Ariel and continues to stick to the fact that it was ok to pull Zach before the delayed 1-on-1 date with Charity. The second portion of the date takes place as they get to know one another better. She talks about a vulnerable time when she realized that she was in a situation that wasn’t for her and how she found her way back to who she is as a person. Zach lets her know that there is something between the two of them and he gives her the date night rose. They leave their date with a night carriage ride through the city.
The next date card arrives, Brooklyn, Kaity, Kat, Gabi, Aly, and Jess will go out as a group. Ariel will receive the 1-on-1. Jess has a moment as she realizes that she is the last one to not have a 1-on-1 (although Greer doesn’t either, but she is currently in quarantine). Kat continues to irk the women especially when she said she wants to have a clear headspace going into the group date - but kissing him before Charity’s date wasn’t an issue.
The group date involves a healing witch and Jess’ candle went out which made all the women cringe for her. This is the smallest 1-on-1 date that they have been on and Gabi says she hopes that they can all get time in. Zach arrives to chat with the women in the small group and lets them know that he is making sure that he wants to make the most of the moments that they will have. He asks for Kaity first (as she gave him the basket when he was in quarantine) and they connect and he chats with Gabi as well as she was the only one to have a 1-on-1 date before he got COVID.
Jess decides that she’s going to chat with him to tell him how she feels. Because she doesn’t have a 1-on-1 she lets him know that she is not going beg for him and she decides that she will leave. He lets the ladies know that after him and Jesse talked, that he sent her home as they had a disconnect. They are also surprised that that happened and they realized that they have to get their relationships in order. A group date rose wasn’t given either.
WIth a fresh day ahead, he has his date with Ariel which we’re all starting to get to know a lot more about her! Their date is at a nudist sauna. While they’re chatting in the sauna, a couple comes in who are completely nude and they offer insight into what they need for a good relationship. They have a great time on the date and then they have their own time - and then that couple comes back! Now that they’re truly alone, they think back to their date over champagne and a charcuterie board. He gives her the rose.
At the cocktail party, he chats with the women to let them know that their support and kind words pulled him through after sending Jess home. Aly pulls him aside to make sure that they’re still good. Only 2 women have roses at this point as the group date didn’t get one. Kat says that she knows she needs to talk with Zach because her time was taken away on the group date. Charity pulls Kat away to talk about what she felt. They have barely chatted and Brooklyn pops in to talk with Kat while she is talking to Charity. Zach asks Kat if something felt weird or a little off. He asks her about it and she says that she is trying to go about it the best way that she can. They have more conversations and head into the rose ceremony. It will be interesting to see if Greer will come back next week or if she will no longer be on the show?
ZACH GIVES ROSES TO | Ariel, Brooklyn, Charity, Gabi, Kaity and Kat
ZACH DOESN’T GIVE A ROSE TO | Aly, Jess,
Each night during the season, we tweet about The Bachelor and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!
Each week we will let you know who our faves were from the last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns.
We also suggest a podcast that we’ve become obsessed with over the past few seasons, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour to get their feedback!
Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.
This year, the 29th Screen Actors Guild Awards took place and it was an epic night! This Awards Season has been a great one to watch! Our predictions that ended up not being correct are in bold, those that are bold and italicized, we got right and those that are italicized are the winners that we did not select. and on the big night, we’ll see how many predicted correctly.
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Austin Butler, “Elvis”
Colin Farrell, “The Banshees of Inisherin”
Brendan Fraser, The Whale
Bill Nighy, “Living”
Adam Sandler, “Hustle”
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Cate Blanchett, “Tár”
Viola Davis, “The Woman King”
Ana de Armas, “Blonde”
Danielle Deadwyler, “Till”
Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Paul Dano – “The Fabelmans”
Brendan Gleeson – “The Banshees of Inisherin”
Barry Keoghan – “The Banshees of Inisherin”
Ke Huy Quan – Everything Everywhere All at Once
Eddie Redmayne – “The Good Nurse”
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Angela Bassett – “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”
Hong Chau – “The Whale”
Kerry Condon – “The Banshees of Inisherin”
Jamie Lee Curtis – Everything Everywhere All at Once
Stephanie Hsu – “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A CAST IN A MOTION PICTURE
”Babylon”
”The Banshees of Inisherin”
Everything Everywhere All at Once
”The Fabelmans”
”Women Talking”
OUSTANDING ACTION PERFORMANCE BY A STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
”Avatar: The Way of Water”
”The Batman”
”Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”
Top Gun: Maverick
The Woman King
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR LIMITED SERIES
Steve Carell – “The Patient”
Taron Egerton – “Black Bird”
Sam Elliott – 1883
Paul Walter Hauser – “Black Bird”
Evan Peters – “Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story”
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR A LIMITED SERIES
Emily Blunt – “The English”
Jessica Chastain – George & Tammy
Julia Garner – “Inventing Anna”
Niecy Nash-Betts – “Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story”
Amanda Seyfried – “The Dropout”
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Jonathan Banks – “Better Call Saul”
Jason Bateman – Ozark
Jeff Bridges – “The Old Man”
Bob Odenkirk – “Better Call Saul”
Adam Scott – “Severance”
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Jennifer Coolidge – The White Lotus
Elizabeth Debicki – “The Crown”
Julia Garner – “Ozark”
Laura Linney – “Ozark”
Zendaya – “Euphoria”
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Anthony Carrigan – “Barry”
Bill Hader – “Barry”
Steve Martin – “Only Murders in the Building”
Martin Short – “Only Murders in the Building”
Jeremy Allen White – The Bear
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Christina Applegate – “Dead to Me”
Rachel Brosnahan – “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”
Quinta Brunson – “Abbott Elementary
Jenna Ortega – “Wednesday”
Jean Smart – Hacks
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A DRAMA SERIES
”Better Call Saul”
”The Crown”
”Ozark”
”Severance”
The White Lotus
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A COMEDY SERIES
Abbott Elementary
”Barry”
”The Bear”
”Hacks”
”Only Murders in the Building”
OUTSTANDING ACTION PERFORMANCE BY A STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A TELEVISION SERIES
”Andor”
”The Boys”
”House of the Dragon”
”The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power”
Stranger Things
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Sally Fields
Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.
When we think of a live well lived, it's one where you take on opportunities that align with where you ultimately see yourself personally and professionally as well as those that are unexpected that create a full 360 experience to roads less traveled. Along the way of our travels in life, we meet others that continue to infuse and inspire us as there isn't a personalized rule book that shows us how we can get from Point A to Point B, but it's the moment of feeling that spark that can initiate an enhanced path that can take us to unimaginable destinations.
This month, our cover editorial is with Chef Nyesha Arrington. She utilizes food as a way to tell stories and brings her passion and intention to each plate that she creates. As a Co-Host and Mentor for FOX's Next Level Chef alongside Chef Gordon Ramsay and Chef Richard Blais, she inspires those in the culinary industry and provides expertise, intel and techniques that they can continue to use as they navigate the industry.
When we last talked with her in 2021 for our JUL ISSUE #67, we talked about how she got into her career and her passion for putting her soul on the plate she was in the midst of production for the first season of Next Level Chef and we talked about identity.
Since then, Nyesha continues to do what she does best, exploring the world through travel, and participating in a number of pop-ups and multi-day food events around the world, she is currently on Next Level Chef UK airing on ITV and she'll be back for the second season of Next Level Chef here in the US on FOX that starts immediately following Super Bowl LVII on Feb Sun 12th!
We talked about her recent TEDx talk where she shared her life recipe, the importance of mentorship and being in spaces that fuel your fire and allow learning about others and about yourself. Of course, we talk about the success of Next Level Chef and what makes it a perfect fit as well as Native by Nyesha Arrington which is at LAX's Delta Terminal 3!
ATHLEISURE MAG: You know we’re always cheering for you from the sidelines! It’s always fun to see what you’re up to and we’re chatting on IG off an on and we’re so excited to have you as cover for the JAN ISSUE #85!
CHEF NYESHA ARRINGTON: It’s an incredible time. I’m 22 years into this business and now that I am charting the course, I wish I could have been able to tell 10 year old Nyesha that it was going to be ok!
Oh my gosh! It’s been an exciting journey thus far and I am just grateful to be able to put back in to the field that raised me. It’s a completely different time now and stories are being told and celebrated and that’s all part of it. So you know, I’m really grateful!
AM: In the last interview we did with you, we talked about heritage, identity and many of the things that you’re involved in and I happened to watch your TEDx Berkely talk which was about Identity, Through the Lens of a Chef which I think was amazing. So in this talk, you focused on identity, being Afro-Korean, exploration of self and creating a life recipe. What was it like to be able to share this powerful message?
CHEF NA: First of all, when they reached out to me, I was like, "um what? Do you have the right person?” Because it was a pinch me moment. I don’t know, I always kind of saw myself being in my purpose being able to share the message of life. I’m living and learning simultaneously. So, the person I am today, isn’t the person I was 5 years ago, 10 years ago, 20 years ago. So to be able to kind of - honestly, it was the first time in my journey that I was able to stomp down and look at the database and collect it. You know, I do network television, I’ve done digital stuff and I meet a lot of people and have traveled the world. I would say that in true honesty, that was the most vulnerable that I have had the opportunity to share sort of my life message with. Because, it’s truly from an authentic and lived place. The first day when I go to Berkely and I did my trial talk, there was one person in the audience and after I finished, he clapped and came to back stage and had tears in his eyes. He said, “you know, that message is really going to resonate with people.” I didn’t have a lot of time to write it, maybe a month and I didn’t have any coaches. I learned after that people have all of these coaches and do all of these things. I didn’t know that.
It was hard like any creative process. You just kind of get the first draft down. I read it mostly to my family, my dad who’s my best bud and to my close friends. I was able to distill it down to the parameters set for the TED talk in terms of time and implementing the Power Point tools and things like that. It’s hard! It’s a really hard thing, but girl it was seriously so rewarding because I cried so many times through it and I think that it was just a really cathartic process. I came up in the early 2000’s when there weren’t a lot of chefs that were of color. I never really had that kind of opportunity to work next to women of color and I never really thought about it in all honesty. I was like, ok, I’m going to culinary school and this is what you have to do and this is the path. White tablecloths and fine dining is the pinnacle of excellence and I was like, bet that’s what I’m going to do. You know, and I did it! I never took inventory along the way. I was grinding head down. Lots of tears and lots of trial and error period and going along the come up. When I wrote that, I felt like ok, what’s my message for myself as a time piece? I will look at this 10 years from now and I will probably be a completely different human and also simultaneously, what is the message or life recipe that I can give to people to have that same resilience. Shit's not easy you know? So, especially when you have the opportunity to do Next Level Chef. Sure, it’s a television show, but honestly, it’s literally the best for me, because I can reach a vast audience and now globally after season 1 and like now, the DMs blow up. Not because, “oh we’re a fan of you,” but it’s, “hey can you mentor me” or they’re having this situation. By now, I’ve pretty much seen a lot of shit and so now to be able to have time piece, I thought what is the recipe? It’s sort of a macro/micro lens to look through. When I took that inventory, it was the first time that I stopped and looked at how did I get here? Because that’s what a lot of people ask. Even I say it and that’s what it was. That was seriously one of the most rewarding things that I have been able to do and to be able to share that. It’s true. It’s like this analogy of actually creating a real recipe in the kitchen, but also taking those tools and applying it to everyday life.
AM: In listening to this, it’s only 14 minutes, but it is such a profound 14 minutes. It made me think of a quote that Muhammad Ali said, “If you’re 50 years old and you think the same way at 50 as you did at 20, you have wasted 30 years.” He encouraged people to take inventory and to tweak as you navigate life. Hearing you do it, it sent chills and I had no idea that you didn’t have a coach – I assumed you did as all of the friends that I know who have done it, told me about how they prepared for it. It was beautiful, succinct and so applicable regardless of what your vertical is that you work in.
CHEF NA: That’s the thing!
AM: I love that!
Coming off of that, I know that you believe in sustainability and eliminating food waste. Why are these so important to you in your cooking? I know that this is a huge conversation that people are having in this area.
CHEF NA: Well, oh my gosh, I love this question! It shouldn’t be seen as a fad right or an “on brand lens” to look through. I think it’s freaking really empowering. The term "sustainability" can actually mean so many things – there are so many facets to that term sustainability if you’re talking about growing your own produce, having chickens, upcycling right? Using non-single use plastics and if you are going to, know that you don’t have to throw that resealable bag away. I am not ashamed to wash a Ziplock bag. Those are the terms that I mean when I say sustainable because in a consumer driven world where we are constantly being marketed to on billboards, ads, our phones and emails and website pop-ups, we just get immersed. I will say that I have had really and truly incredible opportunities to travel. When I go to other countries, it really widens my perspective because I don’t feel as bombarded by being marketed to if you will. I want to share that message because I don’t know if everybody gets to see and have that opportunity to go to where people live in the countryside of Bali ever. It’s like, no, we grow our rice, we collect the rainwater and it gives back to us. That idea can be exercised in different ways. Like last week when it rained a lot, I put 3 buckets out, I got all the rainwater and I watered all my plants with it this week. It’s like, those are the things that I mean by sustainable. Mother Nature, without sounding to woo woo about it – it gives us all the things that we freaking need. Yes, I have a compost pile and literally, it’s so easy to get dirt, put earthworms in it and put food waste in it and grow vegetables. I have 3 little avocado trees that grew from eating the avocado. Those are regenerative practices that are also in the lens of sustainability.
Yes, there are those conversations of thngs being greenwashed and it’s on brand to be sustainable, but there are things that you can do everyday and I think that in terms of biproduct use, for me when it comes to scallions or things that have regenerative and natural capabilities, whenever I use them, I keep the bottom 2” and I throw them in dirt and in a week or two, I have brand new scallions shooting up. Those types of things are doable for people whether you live in a NY high rise or you live on lots of land in Southern
Southern California. Those practices are really important to me on the smaller scale and also on the larger scale when you’re buying for events and aligning yourself with different brands. I think that being intentional with who you are buying from is another sustainable practice for the economy. So I think it ultimately distills down to intentionality. I will say this, it has been a journey for me as well. Coming up, I was in fine dining a lot. We would legitimately fly in a particular kind of aluminum foil from Italy because it had certain qualities to it. I just feel that the 1% who gets to enjoy those $1,000 meals, it’s cool. It’s a craft, I get it. But also, after years and years of that, how can I actually take this inexpensive cut of meat and just by understanding the anatomy and the make up of and knowing what that animal ate, and what can I make that is really bomb by spending a little more intentionality and time with it. Point and case, I think there are a number of different ways to look at the term sustainability. When I was traveling through Morocco, I went to this family’s home in Marrakesh and they literally lived in a mountain range and the whole family lives there – the grandmothers, aunts and cousins. They grow all of their own stuff. They have chickens and they have cows and they built their kitchen which was like a cave and they made these hearth fires. They burnt live fire to cook that way. There was zero electricity and that is a way to be sustainable. It’s about harnessing the life tools that we already possess. I get that that’s not for everyone and it’s not practical in some ways, but those ideas can definitely carry over in other ways.
AM: You’ve said that food is energy transfer. What do you mean by that as I love that phrase.
CHEF NA: Oh my gosh, I love that too!
AM: You know we ask great questions!
CHEF NA: You really do! You’re really speaking to me!
It is. For an example, there was this woman and she was sitting and eating my food. I had never met her before and I walked right by her and she kind of looked despondent – a little in her feelings you know. I walked by and then I circled back around and said, “how are you miss? Everything good? Thanks for joining.” She said, “Chef Nyesha, I flew here to have this meal and I have not been able to escape the intention in this.” She recognized and felt everything from the plate that the food was on – which was handmade by a friend of mine who made the plates for me. The food was sourced from local farmers who I don’t think could care more as it’s their livelihood and they generational legacy and they tend to the soil, they pull up the crop and they share this with me being the conduit who gets to apply my creative process to it through my culinary journey onto the cooks who prep it – the chefs who get to create this dish and ultimately the servers that get to tell that story that I shared with them. All for that person to enjoy a work of art in that moment, right? It gets to live in the soul and it becomes food data for that person to reflect on for years and years and it lives there. When I say it’s an energy transfer, it’s like a kinetic energy that’s almost like a static buildup that lives in that and it’s a life force. It’s something that for me, I’m grateful that I am able to travel based on that sort of mindset to go to a new land if you will and to understand that terroir and celebrate that and then apply my culinary knowledge. I feel like I am living in my purpose on why I am on this planet. It means that much to me!
AM: What is the best bite that you have ever had?
CHEF NA: Wow, wonderful question. I will say this and all I can go with is the most memorable. I would say that when I was working with a Chef Monsieur Joël Robuchon, he was dubbed the Chef of the Century and he has this dish which was called, the Caille or quail in English. That dish, I didn’t understand how such a simple, elegant dish could have so much phenomenal flavor. Then I learned how to make it and I was basically visiting a friend and then I ended up working at that restaurant. The whole entire plate, the way that the herbs were picked, they were so fresh and so lightly dressed with this sort of mild vinegar sort of flavor on the greens that didn’t over power it, but just accentuated it. The quail was cooked so perfectly and the jus – I’m such a sauce person.
AM: Same!
CHEF NA: The jus from the natural reduction of the bones and the trim and that’s another sustainable practice – nothing is going to waste. It was stuffed with duck liver and the truffles. He has this dish where picture a potato purée, and it’s making my mouth water as I talk about it.
AM: Same, because I love potatoes.
CHEF NA: Girl, I mastered that technique to learn how to make them. I think that ultimately, to be honest to sidebar for just a second, I think that that’s what got me on the show to be able to mentor on Next Level Chef, because I actually made those potatoes for Gordon Ramsay on Master Chef and that’s when they called me a couple of weeks later. They said, “hey, we have this concept that we’re working on.” Because I didn’t even know that Gordon and I had worked for the same chef. That probably was one of the most memorable dishes that I have ever had, the Robuchon Quail dish with the Potato Purée – incredible – truly!
AM: If we were at your home, what are foods or spices that you tend to always have on hand in your kitchen?
CHEF NA: Wow, I love this question, I’m such a spice girl!
AM: Same!
CHEF NA: Same! Yeah, right? It’s a really easy way to add lots of depth of flavor. Well, I would say that the spices that I always have on hand – I love cumin. I always have cumin, paprika, coriander, fennel seed and also cardamon!
AM: Ooo I love that too!
CHEF NA: Girl, I love it! I feel like it is such an under used spice!
AM: With the Big Game coming up, people get to hangout with one another and they’re watching the game. There is always an array of food and beverages. If we were hanging out with you, what would we have on football’s biggest night, especially since season 2 of Next Level Chef will be premiering immediately after!
CHEF NA: So football was my dad and I’s thing! We used to watch the Super Bowl a lot – like every year before I started traveling more. So snacks was always the thing. I actually love these little things called Pigs in a Blanket.
AM: Oh yes, I’m from the Midwest so that’s the thing.
CHEF NA: Yes! So it’s like how do I add veggies to these things? So get this and it’s a really incredible dish actually. It’s kind of like – you don’t have to sweat it! I feel like, football snacks don’t always have to be these opulent you’re in the kitchen cooking Thanksgiving kind of things. It just has to hit, so basically, these Pigs in a Blanket, I like to dip them in mustard.
AM: Same! I’m not a ketchup girl.
CHEF NA: SAME! That’s a no no! So, ok get this, I basically braised down mustard greens and then I basically fold it into some Dijon mustard and then inside the dough, I put the little smokey and a little bit of the braised mustard greens and chop it up and then roll it up. I put egg wash on the top and then I put sautéed or popped mustard seeds on top with a little flaky sauce and then bake them. So you get these crunch elements, a bit like poppy seeds and then these flaky salt bites and then you get this bit of a dip inside so you get a bit of that moisture element to it. You kind of feel like you’re eating healthy, but you’re not really. I also do this Dijonnaise with Kewpie mayo which is this Japanese mayo!
AM: Love Kewpie!
CHEF NA: I love a Kewpie moment! So that with Dijon mustard and fresh chives. You dip that in there and it’s like the best bite ever!
AM: Oh my God. Between what you just told me and I interviewed Chef Kristin Kish a few months ago and she had a kimchi Pigs in a Blanket version – so this Super Bowl, I need to do something different to incorporate these things.
CHEF NA: Mmm, yes!
AM: You were talking about Morocco earlier and I saw it on your IG and I remember when you were doing it that I thought it was so amazing. You’re known for storytelling through food. Why did you want to go to Morocco and what was that like for you?
CHEF NA: Oh my gosh! Well first of all, I just wanted to be able to get to the continent of Africa and that was my first taste at it and I can’t wait to get back! I want to travel to Ghana and Nigeria next.
I just have had some amazing opportunities to storytell through food. It started the first year in Belize and that was in 2019 and then I did Morocco, I did Bali and I did Hong Kong.
I think for me, it was an opportunity to connect. I traveled with 12 people and basically, led them on a culinary journey where I took them through the markets! Oh my God, the most beautiful thing is that we traveled through Marrakesh, Fez and the Ourika Valley and I was collecting ingredients along the way and then we cooked an amazing huge dinner. I think that for me, to have perspective on other places from where I was born, I think it really just adds to my repertoire. I have a very unique perspective on cooking because I don’t want to just know one style. I learned French fine dining because I feel that the technique – right, which is different from the ingredients and the cultural influence is the mother of cooking right? How to braise, how to make a sauce, how to chiffonade, how to cut a brunoise – all those things are applicable to the ingredients or the terroir of where I am. So if I can go to a new place in the world and learn about a particular thread of saffron or a way to cook couscous which is such an art to learn those things. Like, bread making first hand from the matriarchs – I get to weave that through my tapestry which becomes a personal approach to cooking, right? I did it in my TED talk, I believe that we as human beings are simply the bridge and gateway from the past to the future. So, it is something that I wear with a badge of honor, so that’s really why I try to travel as much as possible and I’ll actually be doing another pop-up in Q2 of 2023 in Hong Kong.
AM: Oh wow!
CHEF NA: I know! People are so excited! They don’t want me to cook food and give them my take on Chinese food, they want to feel who am I on a plate. That’s what I feel what my super power is – to storytell through my food.
AM: You participated in Kwame Onwuachi’s The Family Reunion at the inaugural launch in 2021. You moderated Stories From the Matriarchs: Then vs. Now which included Virginia Ali of the iconic Ben’s Chili Bowl, Chef Tiffany Derry and Chef Mashama Bailey as panelists. The Family Reunion was held at the beautiful Salamander Resort & Spa which we’d love to check out later this year. Can you tell me a bit about this multi-day event and why did you want to do it?
CHEF NA: Well, I’ll see you there! He reached out. Kwame’s a long time friend and colleague and we came up together. When he asked me to do one of the closing ceremonies which was to pay respects to the founder of Ben’s Chili Bowl.
AM: Which is insane!
CHEF NA: I mean, I was like, what? I moderated this panel which focused on matriarchs past, present and future. It was just a vibe. I don’t even know how to articulate it – it was truly a vibe. I did that the first year and then the second year, I cooked and I’m not trying to talk big headed, but people said it was probably the dish of the whole event and it was so bomb! It was braised short rib but I had this Afro-Korean influence with it and this sweet potato grits. People lost their shit and you know, you make dishes and you’re like this hits, this is great, but this was one of those dishes where I was like, “dang, I put my whole foot in this dish.” Seriously, for weeks, people were hitting me up on IG and even at the event saying dang! It was just one of those things. That’s that love transfer from conception to the menu articulation to people making the dish. You have to inspire constantly, and you have to inspire to be inspired truly. It’s a full circle of like!
The Family Reunion, I’m always grateful to be invited to it and every time I leave that event, I just feel that my cup is full.
AM: It looks amazing!
CHEF NA: It is a vibe. I don’t even know what else to say! From the playlist that’s playing throughout the Salamander to the conversations. We’re all out here pushing and then you get this moment to kind of stop and connect. You can share ideas, it’s really cool.
AM: So will you be at this year’s?
CHEF NA: I will!
AM: Amazing! I was talking to my Co-Founder who is also my boyfriend and we happened to catch Kwame at StarChefs International Chefs Congress back in 2019 and talk about rice and the impact of the diaspora as it went from West Africa to the US and I was like, we definitely need to check out The Family Reunion, see the resort and be able to hang with you as well as other chefs and to enjoy the culinary experience!
CHEF NA: Love it!
AM: You’re also going to be at the Mohegan Sun the last weekend of Jan for the Sun Wine and Food Fest. Why did you want to be at this food festival, what is happening and what will you be doing there?
CHEF NA: So, I’ll start with my dish. I’m going to be doing a Toasted Rise Porridge with a Chicken Ai-Soon Meatball which is my grandmother’s name on my mom’s side. It has this crispy garlic and scallions. I’ve been playing with this idea of Afro-Korean cuisine and this is kind of a dish that will reflect that. I chose this because it is an opportunity for me to connect with my peers, to connect with a part of the states that I don’t really get access to. I like to do these events, because I don’t necessarily have a restaurant where people can come patron so it’s important for me to take my food out on the road and to be on tour if you will! So, I do a lot of private events in LA, but this is my way to do public dinners. It’s kind of amazing and hits all the touchpoints for me because I get to connect with my colleagues and then I get to share the message of food. I’ll be able to do the dine around where people will get to meet all of the chefs and then also I'll get to demo a dish.
The demos are my favorite part. For me, I get to demystify cooking because I am up there and I am showing it. Anyone can find a recipe, but if I am showing you how to do it, it makes people feel more empowered and maybe they can make the recipe at home. So this year, it may sound simple, but these are the kinds of things that people should know how to make to really up their game. A freaking salad dressing! Last year, I showed people how to make ramen noodles. I like showing people about things that they generally go out and buy so this year, I’m going to show people how to make a signature thing that I make which is called a Shatter Batter. This batter stays crispy for forever and really it’s a game to see how you can capture the most amount of bubbles in the batter as possible. So I show people the techniques, but also the science behind it. When to fold in your egg whites, when to use baking powder, baking soda and what do these do scientifically? Once you have those elements of chemistry, people can take that and apply it to their cooking. I’m basically going to show people how to make this Shatter Batter, I’m going to be deep frying things and generally, everyone has these ingredients at home. I’ll be demoing that and then doing the dine around event with the Chicken Meatball and it should be a fun time!
AM: I love that you’re always doing different types of events that show different types of facets. I know that you have the one that’s coming up with the St Louis Community College – Falling in Love ... In the 5 Courses Gala at the Four Seasons and the fact that students who are culinary artists will be able to get to work with you as well, it’s really cool to see how you’re always giving of yourself and doing things in a different way. Why did you want to be included in that event?
CHEF NA: Oh my God, I love it – you know all of the things!
AM: I love you as a person, but I also think it's important that when a person has a signature and they have a throughline, I love seeing how true it is – which yours obviously is. But you’re always doing different things and infusing mentorship through food and you’re raising people up that are making their way and I think that’s cool that you do that consistently.
CHEF NA: I agree because it feeds my soul as much as I hope that it feeds theirs. This one, I’m really excited about it because I didn’t have the bandwidth in my schedule to do it last year. This year, having time to circle back around, it’s going to be exciting because I was talking with the chefs and these culinary students, I always have to say that the first day that I sat in culinary school, I knew that I never wanted to do anything else. I was going to see it through to the end and now to have the opportunity to give back to these young minds and nurture - is a part of me in creating that legacy in our field. It’s a vertical – it’s either going to grow or not and it takes tilling the land to make it grow and be fruitful and this is my way of doing that! It’s also really cool because I came up literally in the best kitchens that you could work in in the world. To be able to wear that hat for a day without having to tend to it every single day if I had a fine dining restaurant, selfishly, it’s kind of a way for me to be able to wear that hat for a minute. It’s what I’m good at. I really love that part of it. 5 courses for 500 people is no small feat. The amount of pre-production that goes into such an amazing gala like that is very challenging. It’s very rewarding and I don’t ever want to be like, “oh, I’m a celebrity chef and I’m too big to do the things.” I’m a worker first and foremost and that’s how I got to where I am today. To be able to do that, I want to make sure that I am actually doing the things.
AM: Looping back to Next Level Chef and looking at the first season, when I interviewed you last time, you weren’t able to tell me all the things, but after watching the first season I was so hooked. I loved the fact that you had these different levels that had these different resources. You don’t always get to be at the tip top and you have to do a lot with less and still make it look amazing. Being able to figure things out individually as well as being able to do so as a team – what did you walk away from as someone who was a mentor, having a person who won from your team and working alongside Gordon and Richard?
CHEF NA: That’s a great question! Truly, I don’t think that I could be more grateful to be on this type of program because ultimately, I’m a blip on these chefs life radar. Yes, it’s cool that I’m on a show blah blah blah, but it’s not about me, it’s about them! For me, not being that far from cooking competitions myself, I can completely relate to how they feel. To be tasked with putting a dish together in 45 minutes, you haven’t seen all the ingredients, you don’t know what level you will be on – it’s a gauntlet. You really start to see after the 3rd cook that they may have had the opportunity to be on all 3 levels. So they’ve kind of had the opportunity to take inventory and they can strategize and game plan. But it’s really hard! To be able to be a voice of reason sometimes, I get it. Once that light turns green, you’re like go and your mind is on a bullet train to be like, “ok, I need to grab all of these different ingredients, not freaking cut myself, but I’m also on TV so maybe I should smile!” It’s a lot and I get it! I feel like I’m that ghost teammate. Yes, I’m their mentor, but I’m part of their brand and part of their hands. I don’t feel like there is this hierarchy where I’m on top of you, I’m with you! Just to be able to be that voice of reason for those chefs – that may need less salt or that needs a pop of acid and then they win, those are the most rewarding moments. You can see the gratitude that they have for the entire journey, win or lose. Pyet DeSpain took it home last year and she put the work in, but it’s like – a lot of the magic actually happens outside of the program because these chefs get 4 months of mentorship between myself, Richard and Gordon outside of the show plus that $250,000 to seed their dreams. I mean, you have got to really freaking hand it to Gordon. In 2006, I remember working in this 2-star Michelin restaurant and feeling like dang, I was just 5 years into the game and for me, I was like, I want to work in harvest kitchens and that’s what I did. So I was like, ok and the more that I started to peel back the layers, I was like, “dang, I don’t know anything."
But what I did know was that I had work ethic and I was ready to take it on. But, I knew I needed to look at who was killing it and it was Gordon. He had the most Michelin stars, he was killing it in media to the point of watering the soil. To have a show like this where I get to dedicate this year's and years of ups and downs and the journey lived to these young minds, there is no other show like it. Yes, there is this competitive component but it’s rewarding for the mentors also.
To be able to work next to him every day, I can’t even tell you girl. I go to bed excited and I’m excited to wake up! No moment am I like, “Oh my God it’s hard waking up at 4am in the morning every day.” I go and I wake up, I go to the gym and I sit in the makeup chair for 2 hours and I’m ready to crush it every single freaking day. I love it! I would say that it is the most professional set that I have ever been on and it’s the most inspiring because he leads his sets like you’re in a kitchen. To be on a set led by a chef’s mind, is different then being on a set led by a production person. He has a production mind, so it’s like for me, it’s the best of both worlds. I’ve had the opportunity to do a good amount of TV by now, but most of my life lived has been in kitchens. So, I feel like I’m grateful because I’m in the best place for me.
AM: What was your favorite challenge from season 1?
CHEF NA: Ooo my favorite challenge from season 1 was the cultural mash-up challenge. The chefs were tasked to take two
different countries and create a synonymous dish and that’s not easy! It’s not just like this term that people loved using in the 90’s – fusion. For me, it’s a mild trigger work. It’s not fusing 2 continents together, it’s like what we spoke about earlier. For me, the best way to articulate storytelling in a dish is to use techniques from one part of the world and ingredients from another.
The elements that make up a dish – so if you say this is a protein an Ibérico ham from Spain and I want to do it with some sort of a citrus element. Maybe you’re not using a particular orange from that region, but you’re using a lemon from a different part of the world, but it’s still an acid. It makes sense. It’s not just about shoving a square peg into a round hole to put two different parts together. That’s part of the journey to get those chefs to understand how to build and storytell through a dish. I would say that that was definitely one of the most memorable!
AM: I remember when I watched that episode and I thought, “ooo that could go really well or it could be really bad!”
CHEF NA: 100%! You really have to be able to understand ingredients.
AM: So how did you get onto Next Level Chef UK which is currently running right now, right?
CHEF NA: Yes ma’am! How did I get onto Next Level Chef UK, I just tried really hard during season 1 and I think that that is something that you just can’t fake. I genuinely in full transparency, some sleepless nights thinking about how I can be the best mentor to these chefs. When they don’t win, I take it personally. How could you not? I think that that resonated with the antithesis of the show. The ethos of the show is rooted in mentorship and it is something that I don’t take lightly, win or lose. It’s not even about losing, it’s about the opportunity for growth. I think that that really resonated with the team and they asked me if I wanted to be part of the team for the UK version and without question, I was honored. That was something that was unexpected, I didn’t anticipate that at all. It’s currently running and it was really cool for me. To be able to see how different people cook, especially, the most surprising thing for me was the range. They’re all British, so seeing the range, I was like, “what am I going to get?” I got a pretty wide range from Indian, Asian, Jamaican and traditional British cuisine. For me, I was a little nervous to see how an American chef would be received.
AM: That’s what I wondered!
CHEF NA: Girl, like learning the verbiage, but it was actually all second nature because in fine dining, a lot of French brigade style kitchens use those terms anyways. It’s just part of the European culture, like rocket for arugula or aubergine for eggplant and coriander for cilantro, so it came natural to me. I think that part of it is just the ability to communicate. At the end of the day, 2 human beings from 2 different parts of the world, we were able to connect over food and it was just some of the most enjoyable experiences that I have had being over there.
AM: To know that in a few days, we have the 2nd season that will be here. Last fall we were talking with Richard and he was like, “oh yeah the 2nd season starts right after Super Bowl Sunday!” I was so excited! How excited are you to be back here again and what are you looking forward to?
CHEF NA: Wow! Well, I can’t believe it. What am I looking forward to? You know what I love? We spent a lot of time vetting our teams prior to the launch of the show which makes sense for the progression of the show. This season, instead of episode 1 with us picking our teams, we’re just going to get straight into it!
AM: Oh wow!
CHEF NA: I know! I love that because we have now built the base and people know the concept of the show. There’s a lot more opportunity for people to follow along with the actual competition and they really love that part of it. I’m really excited to have more episodes. We’re actually coming back with more episodes this season. I don’t know if there is a better opportunity of a slot to be airing right after the Super Bowl, it’s kind of a big deal!
AM: For sure, I was talking with Richard about chili and he just slipped it in there and I was like, “wait, right after the Super Bowl?” I was like, “oh crap!”
CHEF NA: Girl, the fact that Rhianna is playing at halftime, I’m so here for it!
AM: Coming from the Midwest, I love the Super Bowl. I like to get up and watch all of the pre-coverage and hear the stories etc early in the day!
CHEF NA: Me too!
AM: By the time it’s the actual game, I’ve been up for hours and so ready for it! This is so exciting. So to be able to end all of that by watching another form of competition, with their grit and know how, that’s so cool and I’m happy to hear it.
Do you think that you will be attached to additional seasons whether here or other global versions?
NA: I don’t know! When I first met Gordon and was a guest chef on Master Chef for his finale, my parting words to those chefs were to look at the kitchen like a playing field. You have to have an athlete mindset to win. It’s not just one component or the other to excel in it. It’s a team sport and you have to approach it every day with a competitive mindset to not also ask but to demand excellence from yourself. I think that that is 1 super cool thing that will be a synonymous dialogue through all of the parts and wherever this show goes. There are so many layers to it, so many facets and to have that spot after the Super Bowl is incredible. I’m excited to be on the UK version. I’m not sure about what the future holds, but we’ll see. I’m just excited that in this moment, I can’t express enough gratitude to the FOX people, the Studio Ramsey people – it’s incredible. Words can’t explain actually how incredible it is to be on that show. If it ended tomorrow, I will feel glad about what I had to offer and if it went on for 10 years and I was part of it, that would be amazing too.
Regardless I will say that when I was looking at who was killing it in the game and it was Gordon, for me to be able to have so much time to spend time with him so far, has been a dream! I couldn’t ask for more actually.
AM: As a viewer, it looks so natural. Sometimes when you have certain kinds of pairings regardless of the show or the vertical, you can see that someone was pulling to make that happen or that an advertiser got their way and there is no connection. But when I see the 2 of you, it feels natural, and it’s a blessing because sometimes you have to make a mountain out of a mole hill and this, it’s just what it is.
CHEF NA: Girl, I’m saying! When we had the launch party in the UK, a couple of weeks ago. I wasn’t ready for it. They brought us up on stage. We were in front of the producers, culinary, press, culinary students, friends and all of these people in the building. He thanked everyone for coming and passed me the microphone and told me to say some words.
I started speaking and I was so overwhelmed with so much emotion and gratitude and started to tear up. I pushed on through my words, I said my things tearfully and after people kept coming up to me and said that they were balling their eyes out listening to me speak. To your point, it comes from a very authentic place. Point being, after I spoke, Gordon spoke and he said he was so grateful to work next to me also and said that the thing about it and the thing about this show is that it always comes back to the food. No matter what, good days or bad days. We will never not have that part. That’s what makes it the most authentic. That will never falter. Every day, we have team meetings and we think about the concept of the day. These challenges – we think about it. What would we make with this? We really treat it like it’s a kitchen and that’s where all of that comes from and it’s a root system. It’s not just produced by these freelancers and producers that come in just to try and build a storyline. It is a true chef show. So it’s cool!
AM: Since you’re always on the go, what do you do for your own self-care so that you can reset and be ready for your next adventure? You literally could be anywhere.
CHEF NA: Yeah, it’s very true. I look at it like a very big grid system and I think about it like that. I have been conditioned and I grew up playing team sports and I look at it the same way. I grew up working those 10 and 12 hours days. If I know that I am in London next week, the few days leading up, you know I might do a juice cleanse, I might workout a little extra harder so that I can sleep a little better. I might negate sleeping a little the night before so I can sleep on the plane. It’s all about managing time ultimately and being intentional about how it is being spent in terms of your time lived. I think that that is the most important thing.
I will say that 2019 was a huge growth year for me. I think before I was managing my stress differently whether it was a few glasses of wine, over indulging in food – I have turned that around drastically, where I have put that same energy into my gym routine. That for me, was a life game changer, not just for my career, but also my regular life. I sauna a lot, I ice bath, I do a lot of CrossFit – those things - functional fitness, it makes me function in my regular life. I have way more bandwidth to take on these larger feats you know! I will say that that is my main thing and how I am able to maneuver. I will be honest, I would not be able to do it alone. I have a team that keeps me on track and manages my calendar and helps me! I don’t like to come from a reactionary state, I’m a very proactive person. So that is the only way that I am able to manage such a demanding schedule. I would say that it’s a lot of self-care girl, it’s a lot of meditating and I wear my Oura ring and it tells me when I am not doing things properly and I adjust. I do IV's - I do the IV game and we talked about this last time. I do redlight therapy.
AM: Same!
CHEF NA: I get my B vitamins, I’m very very intentional with my body.
AM: Philanthropically, how do you give back to your community and those in the culinary arts?
CHEF NA: Well, I think that things like this Gala event, we’re raising a lot of funds to go towards this culinary school. I mentor outside of these hosted events as much as possible. I do a ton of private dinners all over LA and I always make it my business to hire the team - the next generation coming up and specifically, women of color if I can because it’s just good to be intentional with where the dollars are going. Knowledge is power and we know that. The more that I can show the next generation, the better. I think that it’s ultimately through mentorship as much as possible.
AM: Are there other projects that you have coming up that you are able to share?
CHEF NA: I just opened a restaurant, Native, a couple of months ago in the Delta Terminal in LAX.
AM: Nice, that I didn’t know!
CHEF NA: Really? I’m working on that project with potentially more to come! I would say that definitely if people are interested to check me out in my Hong Kong pop-up, that’s a really cool time to connect! Yeah, the restaurant in LAX at Delta Terminal is killing it right now! It is very exciting! Those are the things that I can talk about now, there are other things swirling around, but I think that it is too early to tell.
AM: What do you want your legacy to be?
CHEF NA: Wow! I love these questions! What do I want my legacy to be? You know what I want it to be? I want people to feel that they can be more vulnerable and open to conversation. I think that for me to be able to storytell through my food is a way to connect with people and to break down these walls that have been so systemically ingrained within us especially in culture and in race. I want my legacy to be the glue that bonds humanity.
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PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | FRONT COVER, PG 16, 20 - 23, 26 FOX | PG 19 + 9LIST STORI3S PG 48, 51 Brian Parillo | PG 25 Michael Becker/FOX | PG 29 Nyesha Arrington | PG 30 Pedro Cardoso | 9LIST STORI3S PG |
Read the JAN ISSUE #85 of Athleisure Mag and see STORYTELLING EXPLORED | Nyesha Arrington in mag.
This month, we're also thinking about how we can shakeup our skincare and makeup. We're always looking at how we can add products that fit our needs, get introduced to brands that may not be familiar to us and incorporating more clean beauty into what we use!
We caught up with Jazmin Alvarez, founder of Pretty Well Beauty which recently opened their beauty destination in NYC's Oculous. A veteran of the industry who is known for her work behind campaigns and photoshoots in fashion and beauty and her love for clean beauty led to creating a brand that showcases these beauty products that are created by BIPOC founders. We wanted to find out more and see how she got into this portion of the industry.
ATHLEISURE MAG: Prior to launching Pretty Well Beauty, you were already a veteran in the beauty and fashion industry. Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you got into the industry?
JAZMIN ALVAREZ: Yes, prior to launching PWB, the majority of my career was spent working as a photo producer and casting director for several large brands including Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, I was an editor at Condé Nast and in between I freelanced and worked on campaigns for Sephora and was the Creative Producer and Casting Director for the Fenty Beauty Digital campaign launch in 2017. I really loved the work that I did and I had the opportunity to work with the most prolific creatives and models in the industry from Steven Meisel, Pat McGrath, Sir John, Guido, etc and talent that was on the major rise at the time like Sir John and Lacy Redway. It was incredible to be a part of all of that but I had reached a point where I felt as though I’d plateaued in my career in terms of my earning potential while at the same time, developed a deep urge to build something of my own.
AM: In working on those projects you mentioned as well as Prada, Balenciaga, Hearst, etc - what lessons did you take away from that that you still use to this day in your business?
JA: Wow so many things actually. In fact I didn't really think or know that all the skills I’d acquired from working as a producer/casting director would be so transferrable as an entrepreneur. My ability to budget, negotiate, and manage a lot of different types of personalities all while remaining very calm. These were skills that took me years to hone in on and to develop a thick skin because the fashion industry is brutal. There’s nothing glamorous about it at all and the same it true with building a brand. I’ve had to balance out the personal and professional ways in which I handle the people I work with much like how I did as a producer. It’s a very fine line that isn’t always the easiest to navigate.
AM: What is it about the beauty space that you felt that you wanted to be part of the democratization of it?
JA: I noticed that there wasn't any conversation around the origins of clean beauty specifically. Beauty as well as fashion has notoriously been known to be quite discriminating against anything that is less than euro-centric in nature. And when that isn’t happening, we see a lot of tokenism. That never sat well with me, especially as someone who tried for a large portion of their life trying to fit into that. It was very damaging and toxic. The fact that something that has existed for thousands of years was/is being appropriated, repackaged and capitalized upon by non-people of color was something that never sat well with me. BIPOC have been surviving on earth-made remedies for self-care and beauty since the beginning of time. However when you enter spaces that offer natural beauty and personal care, you are overwhelmed by brands by people who may or may not have any historical relation to these ingredients whatsoever. While I absolutely appreciate the organizations like the 15% Pledge and Pull Up For Change, the fact that these even need to exist is upsetting. Black womencomprise the largest demographic of beauty consumers yet are often either unaddressed or tokenized as a way to check a DEI box. There’s nothing authentic about it because if larger retailers for example truly saw the value of the black dollar, this would have been part of their strategy from day one. My intention with PWB was to create a space that is authentically inclusive and shine a large spotlight on the products and the brands that are being created by some of the worlds most brilliant and innovative founders in the clean beauty space. This is one of the ways in which I’m democratizing clean beauty and making PWB a space for people who want to discover these brands in an elevated and aspirational setting.
AM: Why is Clean Beauty something that you are so passionate about?
JA: So for years, I struggled with my skin. It was never terrible but it wasn’t great. It took me years to realize it was the products I was using. Upon learning about the hazards of a lot ingredients specifically in products marketed toward black and brown women (which contain on average 9X more parabens and toxic ingredients vs products marketed toward our non BIPOC counterparts) I became angry and scared. I was greatly affected health wise and I knew I had to made a change. Clean beauty is the safest and most effective way to care for ourselves because our bodies respond best to ingredients found in nature because it knows what they are. We come from nature, so creating a relationship with nature is only going to benefit us. It makes for a more conscious human and shopper and encourages us to use our instincts in ways something overly manufactured can subdue. I want people to understand that skin care is health care in a lot of ways simply due to the fact that what we put on our skin as our first line of defense can effect our vital internal organs. Developing a relationship with clean beauty can dramatically change our relationship to how we see and care for ourselves and the planet.
AM: Tell me about Pretty Well Beauty and why you wanted to launch this brand?
JA: I started PWB because I wanted to create a space that I hadn’t experienced before. A space for discovery, connection, community and representation. Today no one is interested in going to a faceless digital mall where they have to sift through 100’s of brands and thousands of products. It’s daunting and overwhelming and frankly really boring. There are so many brands and retailers that have their own definition and standard of clean beauty and I wanted to exceed that which wasn't very hard to do. In fact by developing such a stringent clean standard it allowed me to be able weed out a lot of noise and nonsense and hone in on brands and the people behind them that are truly putting in the effort and always pushing and striving for better. I wanted to focus on those brands and those brands alone. They aren’t always the most well known yet or popular-yet but they are building and growing alongside some heavy hitters (that I like to refer to as my anchor brands). It was a priority for me to include lots of diversity not only with the people behind these brands but also with the price points. I needed PWB to be friendly for people of various socioeconomic backgrounds. I grew up poor and I know what it feels like to walk into a space and know there isn’t anything there for me. It’s a feeling that’s still never left me and it’s how I felt when I entered a clean beauty store years before launching mine. I cannot allow anyone to feel that way when they enter PWB.
AM: What is your process when it comes to onboarding brands that you carry at Pretty Well Beauty?
JA: The process varies and can take anywhere from a couple weeks to a year! I analyze the ingredients as my first step, then the packaging. Packaging needs to have an element of sustainability as well as high level and elevated level of branding aesthetics (this is beauty after all), it must also be compatible with the product they contain. I test every product as well to ensure efficacy. For me its not good enough that something just feels good, it has to work. I speak with the founders and get a high level of understanding of their supply chain (i.e where the ingredients are sourced, how and by whom). If there Is a give back/mission as part of their business model thats always a bonus and well respected. There usually isn’t a ton of negotiating in terms of pricing etc as there are industry standards that we adhere to but there are a couple of outliers I can work with. Many of the founders I carry I’ve had relationships with for many years long before I started the company which is really exciting to be able support.
AM: Pretty Well Beauty recently launched its first brick and mortar at The Oculus here in NY. What are the challenges you’ve had to navigate in this phase of PWB’s growth?
JA: Wow, so many challenges, I don't even know where to begin. I think the biggest one is the increase in expenses that are associated with having a brick and mortar, the schedule and strain on my time since I can’t yet afford to hire in-store staff so I am there 7 days a week nearly 10 hours per day. It’s grueling work but I see It as a temporary sacrifice for the future I’m creating.
AM: What are 3 brands that you’re excited about that you’re carrying at Pretty Well Beauty?
JA: While of course I absolutely love all the brands I carry at Pretty Well Beauty, there are some that I’m so excited for people to get to experience in person such as Mflorens, SKN/Muse, and the fragrances by Leland Francis. Fragrance was something I was never comfortable selling when I was online only as that’s a hard sell since people can’t smell through their devices lol so being able to introduce natural fragrance in the store was exciting and has been doing incredibly well!
AM: How important is it that a percentage of the brands that you carry are BIPOC founded?
JA: This is absolutely incredibly important. This has never really existed in this way before. It’s always been the opposite where BIPOC brands had a very tiny space in an unlit area of a store not getting much recognition and was always hard to find. As I mentioned earlier, BIPOC shoppers are the biggest beauty shoppers so offering them a space with lots of variety of products that will serve their unique and beautiful needs is an honor and a privilege.
AM: We love using our platform to bring people together, to share stories, to create spaces where people can learn more about brands and products and those that are behind them. You’re doing the same by driving awareness to your mission and the brands that are aligned with that. What can those who are visiting your store expect beyond just purchasing their newest find?
JA: They can expect to meet and learn/hear from the people behind these brands. We are doing in store events on an on going basis where our customers and other people can come, get product demos, samples and recommendations for themselves. I also offer consultation services for those who are looking to overhaul their beauty cabinet and make the switch to clean but need some hand holding during the process. This is actually one of my favorite things to do and I started doing this with my friends ages ago whether they wanted to or not haha! They can also expect to be part of a community of engaging and like-minded people who are looking to learn, connect and be inspired. I'm just a brown girl who grew up on welfare and food stamps who now owns a business and lives in one of the most expensive cities in the world. I had an idea and a dream. I had no idea what I was doing or how, but because every single day I did at least one thing that could help me reach this goal, I was able to. I’m still not where I want to be yet, but I’m confident that I’m on the right track. I want people to be able to see what is possible by dreaming bigger, not settling into the circumstances they were born into and that by putting good into this world, you will be rewarded.
AM: Clean Beauty is not a new category but to see how it has been transformed over the past few years from brands leaning into this, the fact that there are accessible as well as luxury options and that the packaging for many makes you want to include it on your vanity – what are trends that we should keep an eye out for in 2023?
JA: In 2023 expect to see more mushroom and adaptogen focused products for skincare for sure. More products that will serve multiple uses and a focus on more innovation around product delivery systems.
AM: For those who have yet to make the transition into clean beauty or want to start the process, how do you suggest that they begin to make their transition and to find items that are comparable to those that they currently use?
JA: Well they can come to Pretty Well Beauty and see me. But if they are not in the area, I would suggest starting slow. You don’t have to throw everything away and start 100% from scratch. That's not practical for most people. I’d say the first things you should start with replacing is deodorant first and foremost.
The CDC reported years ago about the connection between breast cancer and the aluminum thats in antiperspirants. Next I would swap products that spend the most time on your skin, I’m talking serums, moisturizers, SPF. And finally lipstick. In the average womans lifetime, we consume pounds of lipstick from eating and drinking, or even talking while wearing lipstick which most conventional formulas include lead (which is natural btw, but extremely toxic for humans).
AM: Looking at 2023, what are you excited about for Pretty Well Beauty?
JA: I’m really excited about growing our brand’s presence and awareness via the store as well as starting the fund raising process. I’ve been putting it off for a while (I was scared) but now I’m ready! I’m ready to strike while the iron is hot. I’m also excited about discovering new and innovative beauty and wellness brands and growing this amazing community that I’ve started. I’m also looking forward to developing partnerships with other brands who align with our values and being able to merge communities that way. And finally, I’m looking forward to adding more wellness brands to the store and online. We’ve always carried wellness products, but it's not always easy for people who need more guidance to rely on the online shopping experiences so being able to allow people try them in store is amazing. I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity to connect and expand in ways I wasn’t sure how I’d do it.
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Lori Cannava
Read the JAN ISSUE #85 of Athleisure Mag and see CLEAN BEAUTY THRIVES | Pretty Well Beauty in mag.
For years, we've enjoyed seeing the looks created by Celebrity Fashion Stylist, Jason Rembert whether it's for his red carpets with his clients Lizzo, Issa Rae, Mary J Blige, Rita Ora, Odell Beckham Jr; designs from his line Aliette worn by Sheryl Lee Ralph, Quinta Brunson and Regina Hall to name a few, or when he has styling covers for our favorite magazines and been a part of campaigns. Jason's attention to detail and knowing how to dress bodies that want to make an impact is impeccable.
Recently, Jason partnered with Baileys to create a Baileys Marshmallow Puffer that brings his vision and a subtle aesthetic of the brand together. We talked with him about his partnership with the brand, his inspiration to create the jacket and of course how he is navigating the upcoming Awards season as well as the latest collection of his brand.
ATHLEISURE MAG: So tell us about the first ever Baileys Puffer and how this came into being?
JASON REMBERT: Baileys has been part of my entire life. I don’t remember a time like in my adult life where it wasn’t part pf my life. Even as a kid, my mother was such a big fan of Baileys. My mom never drank any hard liquor and Baileys was always her preferred choice. She used to put it in coffee, she drank it by itself and as I became an adult, I started drinking it of my coffee and I always have a bottle of Baileys just sitting in my refrigerator and getting it cold and it has been a part of my life and I like the versatility. I love that I can drink it in my coffee and I remember when Häagen-Dazs had it in their ice cream. I like that I can drink it by myself and it’s something that I can share with my girlfriend, she does the same thing. Now with Baileys, it’s really cool to partner with a company where they don’t limit my creativity. When I came to them with this idea of a couture piece and I had these big ideas, they embraced it. Sometimes, when you work with these big companies, they try to dial it down or dilute your creativity. Baileys was like, we're about it, we're down! Let’s do it! When you have a partner who supports you and is willing to stand behind your creative integrity, that’s the right partner. For me, creating this garment was a push for me as a designer. I have always wanted to create a puffer. I never created a puffer for my collection or even for myself. I’m such a fan of puffers, it’s so pseudonymous with winter and Après ski and just something different. So now, to be able to go somewhere whether it’s the Poconos, Gstaad or wherever I go for ski season, I now have something that is a piece that I created that I have made my own.
AM: Where did you get your inspiration from? It is such a cute jacket, who doesn’t love a puffer as it’s something that we would rock for sure as well as to style it for our shoots.
JR: Thank you! To be honest, I have always been a fan of quilted things and different forms of embroidery. Embroidery has been pseudonymous with me as a designer from my first collection. So, now to be able to bring that into a piece that is pseudonymous with my personal style. I have never made a piece that was so unisex and so fluid. So now to have piece that I can honestly rock, I wanted it to be oversized, I wanted it to have a toughness to it. I wanted it to have details to it. I went to Baileys and I said, honestly, is it possible for me to use your logo to do a subtle but effective quilted embroidery and they were down! I think that my goal for it was to give a marshmallow feel without blatantly being cheesy and putting marshmallows on it. I feel that it still gives that softness of a marshmallow even though it is so tough! That juxtaposition is always so important to me – to have both the fluid approach to design for femininity and masculinity.
AM: Now we’re in the thick of Awards Season and as a fan of those you’ve worked with from Mary J Blige, Sheryl Lee Ralph – how do you approach this time of year? It's a crazy period of time and you’re definitely in the thick of things at the moment!
JR: Thank you! My approach to Awards Season is honestly, trying to be as organized as possible, to maybe schedule fittings as early as possible, making sure that the timeline for alterations are there, making sure that timelines for refitting is there. This Awards Season is a little more unique. The Golden Globes was one of the first really big awards show. I had one client that I had to style and I had another client, Sheryl Lee Ralph which I designed a gown for.
AM: Which was stunning.
JR: Thank you so much. Her daughter, Ivy Coco who’s her stylist, reached out to me to ask if I could design an amazing gown for her mother for Awards Season. Just being honored to do that was great. That balance is hard! I feel good. I have great support, I have a great team. They make my job so much easier to do it, because they are so on point. I think that honestly, that’s how you get through Awards Season, having a great team.
AM: In terms of your label, Aliette, we have loved so many pieces that you have designed! What are some of the new portions of the collection that we should keep an eye out for as we all head into FW23 as well!
JR: Oh wow! Crazy enough, I don’t know why or how but I shot my lookbook earlier this month for my PF23 collection. I shot it in LA because I was stuck here for Awards Season. I’m very very excited and very proud of it. It’s my first time doing a proper pre-Fall collection.
AM: How do you take time for yourself for a bit of self-care because you are incredibly busy and you have so many projects that you’re part of.
JR: Thank you. I do take time for myself. I have a very supportive family. My favorite thing to do in the whole world is play Spades. I do that as often as possible. I try to play Spades once a week with friends and family. I get to enjoy it! Sometimes I just take a Sunday afternoon and just my girl and I and we just watch TV. Right now, we’re binge-watching between White Lotus and BMF. She loves to make new drinks so we get to have some really cool Baileys-infused drinks and she makes Sundays great! So I get to enjoy Sundays!
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Baileys Irish Cream
Read the JAN ISSUE #85 of Athleisure Mag and see APPRECIATION FOR THE CRAFT | Jason Rembert in mag.
PHOTO CREDIT | Jose Cuervo
We’ve been a fan of tequila as it’s so versatile whether you’re sipping it straight or making a dynamic cocktail. We wanted to know more about this spirit and took some time with Jaime Salas, Tequila Expert and Head of Agave Advocacy at Jose Cuervo to talk about National Margarita Day which is Feb 22nd, how we can pair this beverage and what he looks for when it comes to tequila.
ATHLEISURE MAG: What is a Mixologist?
JAIME SALAS: A Mixologist is someone who concocts cocktails and they don’t necessarily have to have had come from bartending if that explains it a bit more. You have a bartender that can be equally as good, but a Mixologist is someone who plays with flavors, liquid form like a cook would, but not necessarily having had that backdrop. So you could be both, but you can be a Mixologist that hasn’t been a bartender.
AM: So you’re the Tequila Expert and the Head of Agave Advocacy at Jose Cuervo, what does that role entail and why do you enjoy it?
JS: Wow, that role entails in short form, me advocating and talking to people – anyone who will listen to information about Tequila and agave. It’s about the culture, the provenance, the heritage – all of those things especially as you can imagine, working with Jose Cuervo which has had over 250 years of Tequila making, experience and know-how. It’s an opportunity for me to be able to spread the joy that is Tequila if you will. More importantly, it’s about engaging in training, bartenders, consumers alike on the benefits of how to mix a drink to your point earlier. Or even looking at the cultural significance behind the production and what and how we do what we do. So advocacy for me is really about spreading the word and getting people to talk and getting people to better understand our products and more importantly, the category that they belong to.
PHOTO CREDIT | Jaime Salas’ IG @jthetequilaguy
AM: That’s fantastic!
What do you look for when you are trying a tequila?
JS: Well the first thing that you mentioned is what I love about it – that’s my favorite part about it by the way. It’s the ability to be able to explore flavors – not just Tequila ha ha. Of course, I love Tequila! But it’s about trying flavors in a cocktail and also the Tequila itself. So when it comes to Tequila as a base spirit for example, in a Margarita or what have you. I want something citrus, something that’s bright and has a lot of agave presence. Something that speaks to me and says that it is clearly Tequila. Something that has a bit of terroir – that salinity, that grittiness, and that sort of Earthiness. Tequila is a very unique spirit that comes from the Asparagaceae (formerly Agavaceae) succulent. There is nothing quite like it. I think that I look for all of those flavors that speak to that.
AM: We love Tequila. Here at Athleisure Mag, we’re always talking about why it’s a great beverage to drink. National Margarita Day is Feb 22nd. As a Tequila fan, what is a great go-to classic that we can enjoy.
JS: Well that’s just it. Part of what we’re doing today is showing folks how they can enjoy National Margarita Day at home or out and about in a ready to drink fashion. One that’s easy to level up, one that’s easy to enjoy when you’re entertaining guests and you want to enjoy the cocktail.
What I have here is Jose Cuervo Authentic Margaritas. We have the world’s #1 Margarita lineup in 3 delectable flavors. I wanted to showcase 3 different ways that you can level up!
We have the authentic Mango Marg, clearly very tropical and if you have ever had a slice of mango with a little chili sauce, so we have this Mango Marg with a chili salt rim over the rocks and it’s a pairing made in heaven. You have the brightness, the citric quality and the tropical note from the mango. It’s comingled with that heat so think of sweet and heat when you think of the Mango Marg with that chili lime rim. Then we have that authentic Lime Margarita. Here it’s more of a sensorial play so we have it with that highball glass. So think of it with a seltzer, but don’t fear, you can use different seltzer flavors if you like. You can use something more tropical if you like. You can add another level of flavor to your classic authentic Lime Margarita and it’s going to make it a sparkly Margarita. Then we have our authentic Pink Lemonade and here we thought that we would showcase how easy it is to pour into a large vessel or a punch bowl and layer in some contrasting lemon wheels which accentuate further that citric note and have your guests serve themselves. That’s more time to celebrate and less time for prepping.
AM: Obviously, you can have Margaritas alone, but they’re better with friends and food pairings. It’s so tasty with chili, tacos and steaks. What would you do in terms of pairings?
JS: You hit it spot on! For me, it’s all about flavor profiles. I think that Mexican in general works really well right? It’s a great cultural pairing. These 2 things were brought up together if you will. That savoriness that we look for in Mexican cooking – there’s a little bit of zestiness, brightness depending on the dish, fattiness depending on the type of taco - for example you get the meat that you fill it with. Clearly, avocado and guacamole can be done in 50 million different ways. So the idea is, getting something that is equally as bright or rich or savory so that the Margarita can be either a contrast or a compliment. But you want an ice-cold Margarita in hand, perhaps a Mango one that is going to go really great with a Brisket Taco or a taco that is on the fattier side. Those are all very complimentary flavors. My general rule of thumb would be, get something bright and zesty. Mexican is a great go-to, but always along the lines of something that is either going to contrast or compliment the very thing that you are sipping alongside that.
AM: With National Margarita Day coming up, what are you guys doing?
JS: You can visit us at Cuervo Margarita Shake-Up and you’ll learn more about our authentic Margarita flavors, you’ll learn more about how to host with them and clearly how to celebrate National Margarita Day. More interestingly, you’ll have the opportunity to submit your own recipe and flavor profile for a chance to win up to $100,000 in cash and prizes. The idea is that here we have our Tropical Paradise Margarita which launched last year. You or I next year could be celebrating one of our friend’s submissions assuming that they win. That I think is a point of pride that I think that anybody would be happy to be able to share!
AM: So fun! As an aside, if we were able to go home with you, how many Tequila bottles do you have in terms of items that you have samples? I’m assuming you have something that is the equivalent of a wine room.
JS: Yeah, more then I care to really admit to! Probably too many that should really be cohabitating with me right now. I think that I’m upwards right now of about 600 bottles –
AM: Oh wow!
JS: As an enthusiast you know, I love to play around with cocktails and more importantly, I like to collect and share those Tequilas with my friends.
Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.
PHOTO CREDITS | ZACH SHALLCROSS, SHAWNE MERRIMAN + ANTONIO GATES/ABC/Craig Sjodin | CONTESTANTS ABC/Ricky Middlesworth |
PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Bachelorette/Gizelle Hernandez
We’re back with Zach Shallcross for tonight’s latest episode of ABC’s The Bachelor. The ladies and Zach have made their way to London and they’re all taking in the sights! The date card arrives and Gabi gets a 1-on-1 with him. Greer is shocked as she has a tea cup tattooed on her arm and wants to go to high tea. A butler takes her to meet with Zach and definitely provides all the British vibes that you could imagine. Their date involves a ride through London as they sip on champagne and get to know one another. They’re going on the ultimate royal experience by going to Floris which makes fragrances for the royals, Winston Churchill and more. They get a tour of this 300-year tradition and they will also get their own perfumes made as well. They continue to get the royal treatment with a stylist as well as a butler who has worked with the royal family. Even the Corgis from the royal bloodline make an appearance. She tries on a number of gowns that give her that queenly feeling. As the women sit and chat, Gabi comes in and she brings her bags from her royal treatment day, but she is also hopping back out to the date/. She shows all of her gifts to the women as they all ooh and aah.
The next date card arrives announcing the next portion of Gabi’s date - along with the dress that Zach picked out for her. Greer walks out and Charity goes to chat with her.
Gabi’s date continues as they go to dinner with one another and take time to get to know one another more. She becomes vulnerable with him and lets her guard down. The women are back in the hotel and Greer is still mad about not having the date that fit her personality best.
The next date card arrives for Brooklyn, Kat, Aly, Kaity, Ariel, Kylee, Jess, Mercedes and Greer. That means that Charity gets the 1-on-1 date. Mercedes leaves crying and upset that she is not on the intimate date. Back on the date, Gabi accepts the rose and feels that the experience has been so special. They are seranaded by UB40 as they dance the night away.
The girls prepare for their group date and a card arrives. He lets them know that he is feeling under the weather, but still wants them to have a good time and wants them to spend time without him. They board the double-decker bus to have a tour.
Back at the hotel. Zach says he’s jetlagged and exhausted and doesn’t want to get them sick. He hopes that he can rally and meet up with them for the cocktail party. Greer decides that since you can’t control what happens when someone is sick, you can still try and have a good time. The ladies end up having a good time considering that they didn’t want to waste the day.
The ladies dress up to catch up with him in hopes of seeing him. They are given a message from Zach that he will not be there.
The women let Charity and Gabi know about what happened and whether the other 1-on-1 date happens is a question. Jesse Palmer arrives and tells Charity that the date will not take place as he tested positive for COVID. Kaity leaves him a basket and chats with him through the door. We can all sit there and think about the obvious questions like why isn’t anyone asking about Gabi being quarantined since she was with Zach for an entire day and night or the fact that Kaity decides to talk to him through a door?
Zach decides to do a virtual cocktail party and he will also do a virtual rose ceremony. Charity is in first and gets a gift and is reassured that he wants to spend time with her and that they will have another opportunity. She definitely feels acknowledged. Zach interacts with each one so that they have time. Greer ends up having an awkward moment by comparing him having COVID while trying to find his person to when she had it when she was closing a quarter at her job as a marketer. He let her know that that wasn’t the same and she realizes that she made a mistake. She hopes that that won’t send her home.
Zach feels that the week was robbed and he wishes that he could have had the dates in person and kept things the way that he had intended for them to be. Zach and Jesse talk and they prepare for the virtual rose ceremony which feels a bit odd.
The women assemble in front of the screen and they see the roses to the side. Zach appears and lets them know his thoughts. Each woman will pick up the rose when he gives it and he fave virtual air hugs to them.
ZACH GIVES ROSES TO | Aly, Ariel, Brooklyn, Charity, Gabi, Greer, Jess, Kaity and Kat
ZACH DOESN’T GIVE A ROSE TO | Kylee and Mercedes
Each night during the season, we tweet about The Bachelor and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!
Each week we will let you know who our faves were from the last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns.
We also suggest a podcast that we’ve become obsessed with over the past few seasons, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour to get their feedback!
Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.
This month's The Art of the Snack takes us to Sweetbriar which is known for upscale New American comfort food and is located in Rose Hill. We talked with Chef Bryce Shuman as well as Ivan Papić who is their Beverage Director. They share with us about dishes that we should try, cocktails we can enjoy and where we can hang out when we come by for our next visit?
ATHLEISURE MAG: Chef Bryce Shuman, tell is about your culinary background and what was your journey prior to being at Sweetbriar?
CHEF BRYCE SHUMAN: I came from the acclaimed Betony in New York City, which garnered three stars from The New York Times, one Michelin star, and was named 2015 Food & Wine Magazine “Best New Chef.”
I'm originally from Chapel Hill, NC. I trained in lauded kitchens in San Francisco and in New York City including a six-year run with Chef Daniel Humm at Eleven Madison Park.
Now at Sweetbriar, I aim to bring that attention to detail and care to American classics, bringing people home with wood smoke and live fire lending flavor across the menu.
I currently reside in Brooklyn, NY with my loving wife and eight-year-old daughter, Emilia. You can often find me tinkering with watches or snapping shots with my vintage Polaroid.
AM: How would you define your style of cooking?
CHEF BS: Inspired by the ingredients, my style of cooking is colorful, creative, and delicious built on the endless bounty of New York.
AM: What is the meaning behind the name of Sweetbriar and when did it open?
CHEF BS: Sweetbriar opened in October of 2021. We are located in the neighborhood Rose Hill. Sweetbriar is a type of rose. Beautiful, also known as Eglantine, it's famous for its delicious rosehips.
AM: What kind of cuisine is offered at Sweetbriar?
CHEF BS: At Sweetbriar, we offer creative takes on American Classics built on the endless bounty of New York.
AM: How would you describe Sweetbriar in terms of its ambiance when guests come in to dine?
CHEF BS: The arrival experience is retro and vibey with pink accents and floral pillows. A custom beige banquette nestled against the wall in the lounge is the ideal destination for larger groups catching up over a drink or waiting to hear the house band play.
As you walk past the host stand you arrive at the 15-seat focal bar which features green onyx counters, green leather panels and soft lighting.
Adjacent to the bar is the 50-seat main dining room. Guests enjoying dinner get a front row seat to a culinary show of chefs preparing their meal via a showcase kitchen that spans the length of the room which houses various live-fire cooking apparatuses. The room is intimate and comfortable. You might even feel like you’re at home.
AM: What are 3 appetizers that you suggest that we should have when we come to eat?
CHEF BS: Brisket Sliders, Nuts and Ceasar, Cornbread.
AM: What are 3 mains that we should consider when we come in with friends and family?
CHEF BS: Smoked Ribs, Smoked Chicken, and Branzino.
AM: We like that your menu has a section of pizzas and for the table what are 3 items that you suggest?
CHEF BS: Spicy Mangalitsa, Wild Mushroom, and the Delicata Ricotta.
AM: You have a fantastic team in addition to yourself, you also have Executive Pastry Chef Karen Fodere-Gallier. Can you tell us about her culinary background as well as the 3 desserts that she creates that we should have?
CHEF BS: Chef Karen Fodere-Gallier is the executive pastry chef at Sweetbriar, formerly executive pastry chef at Montammy Golf Club in Alpine, NJ, and a former Pastry Chef under the world renown French Pâtissier Pierre Hermé, at L’ Avenue.
Her signature desserts use traditional recipes and feature intense flavors and textures from creams, fruit essences, gelées, herbal and aromatic blends. She is involved in all aspects of her kitchen, to create an experience that is both timely and enduring. Lately Chef "K" is working on publishing her cookbook, reflecting on her favorite influences and cooking styles from around the world.
Spiced Pumpkin Hand pie, Sweetbriar Chocolate Mousse, Passionfruit Sundae,
AM: Cocktails are another key component to the menu. Tell us about your Beverage Director Ivan Papic who has come from a number of our favorite spots that have included Keith McNally properties as well as those with Paul Sevigny.
IVAN PAPIC: I was born in Belgrade and moved to NYC in 1998. I fell in love with the industry and got my first taste as a barback at the popular LOT 61. Most notably I have worked with restaurateur Keith McNally at Pastis and Balthazar, at Macao Trading Company (sister bar to Employees Only), and ventured into nightlife with Paul Sevigny at Beatrice Inn, the hardest door in the city, and opened Paul's Casablanca.
AM: What are 3 cocktails that you suggest that we should have?
IP: When visiting Sweetbriar you should try to have all of the cocktails but since that might be a difficult task in one visit you should try Coffee Old Fashioned, Elixir and Maple Sour. Those are my current favorites.
AM: You have a number of private spaces that are available at Sweetbriar. Can you tell us about them?
IP: Rose Room – also doubles as our wine cellar, is the heart of our private dining program. Seating up to 40 guests, the room is the perfect setting for intimate corporate and social events as well as wine dinners.
Music Room – located adjacent to the main bar in Sweetbriar, this room has guitars hanging on wall as tribute to our love for music. Guests can also enjoy the view of our courtyard where we store our wood and charcoal for cooking. Good for seated dinners up to 20 and receptions up to 30.
Lounge – the arrival experience at Sweetbriar Lounge is curated and special. This is the ideal space for large groups wanting to enjoy some drinks and small bites. A member from our beverage team is behind the lounge bar offering a large selection of specialty cocktails, coravin wines and beer on tap.
AM: Tell us about the Sweetbriar Band, what they play and when we can catch them?
IP: The Sweetbriar Band is the house band that performs every week at 9pm. They musicians are Harlem based and play jazz and rock covers as well as some originals.
AM: There are also beverages that are inspired by this band as well. Can you tell us about those?
IP: Band loves tequila, so when they play on Saturday night's band is sponsored by Casamigos Tequila, and during band's performance we are offering two Casamigos cocktails at discounted price, Paloma (Casamigos Blanco, Fever Tree Pink Grapefruit Soda, lime, salt rim) and Tush (Casamigos Blanco, St. Germain, mint, cucumber, lime and fever tree ginger beer). These cocktails are available only on Saturday nights when the band plays.
During the week we are offering Happy Hour at the Lounge bar which includes discounted prices on Draft Beers, also includes Coravin Wine Selection, where customers get to enjoy by the glass some wines that otherwise they can only get by the bottle, so it's a great opportunity to taste some high end wines without breaking the wallet on the bottle. At Happy Hour customers can also enjoy a featured happy hour cocktail that changes monthly with the support of different liquor brands.
During Happy Hour we are also offering half-off pizzas at the Bar.
So pull up at the bar at 5pm, order Mangalitsa pizza and enjoy a Happy Hour cocktail.
AM: Now that we have gotten past the holiday season, what are some upcoming events whether it’s for Valentine’s Day or even NYFW?
CHEF BS: We will be announcing a special pop-up featuring our Ribwich Sando with a portion of proceeds benefiting City Harvest (Jan 11-13). After that we are setting our sites on a live-fire block party where we will invite our chef friends from near and far to prepare a dish using live-fire cooking preparations, while we celebrate the Nomad and Madison Park neighborhoods (Fall 2023).
PHOTOS COURTESY | Sweetbriar
Read the JAN ISSUE #85 of Athleisure Mag and see THE ART OF THE SNACK | Sweetbriar in mag.
We're heading to DUMBO for ramen at Tsuta! In Japan, ramen has always been known to be a comfort food. Attaining a Michelin star proved that a comfort dish like ramen can be elevated with depth and finesse. 10 years ago, Yuki Onishi opened this restaurant in Japan with a vision to create original and innovative ramen for everyone to enjoy. The DUMBO location is the only one in the US and opened in November 2022.
This location offers the 2 signature truffle ramens from the original Michelin-starred Tsuta in Tokyo. Each is based on Onishi's recipes and philosophy of using only fresh, high-quality ingredients like an artisanal shoyu (Japanese soy sauce), premium bamboo shoots, locally raised Asian breed chicken, Kuributa and Iberico pork and no MSG or preservatives. The Original Truffle Shoyu Soba (soy sauce broth) is made with custom-brewed shoyu from Wakayama Prefecture and Tsuta's dashi, and finished with Kurobuta pork chashu and black truffle paste. This is one of their signature bowls and best sellers that showcases the depth and complexity of flavors that go into their signature ramen.
The Original Truffle Shio Soba (light salt broth) has a dashi base of Okinawan sea salt, Mongolian rock salt, and subtle while truffle oil, and toppings like red onion, green olive sauce, spearmint, along with elevated versions of the more typical white leek, bamboo shoots and Kurobuta chashu or Iberico chashu.
We also suggest The Spicy Mala Tonkotsu which is 1 of 2 pork broth ramens, which are cooked over 8 hours, resulting in a rich creamy broth. This one is Sichuan-inspired and features house-made mala oil (Sichuan peppercorns, cinnamon, star anise, dried chili flakes) for a spicy kick.
The Miso Vegetarian Soba is unique to NY and is made with 2 vegetarian broths - includes various veggies and and a mushroom broth. It also has a blend of red and white miso.
Tsuta's signature broth (dashi) is made of 3 stocks: chicken, fish and clam, each cooked separately then briefly simmered together before serving to bring out the depth of flavors.
We suggest, pairing this with a Brooklyn Kura Blue Door Junami Ginjo and the Chibi Zumo "Little Sumo" Sumo" Junmai Genshu. Their Amabuki Cup Sake series is delicious.
IG @tsutaus
PHOTO CREDITS | Michael Tulipan
Read the JAN ISSUE #85 of Athleisure Mag and see ATHLEISURE LIST | Tsuta Dumbo in mag.
La Devozione opened November 2021. It's an authentic pasta restaurant and guests will experience an authentic Italian cucine and a in a very comfortable atmosphere. They are located inside of Chelsea Market.
This was a dream of third-generation pastaio Giuseppe di Martino, CEO & President of Pastificio Di Martino (est. 1912), La Devozione is an ode to pasta brought to life in New York City. It is the heritage pasta company’s first brick-and-mortar experience in the United States. Their multi-concept pasta destination includes a retail shop, coffee and cocktail bar; an elegant. 30-seat oval pasta bar, and more casual dining seating at A Tavola, inviting guests to discover over 126 distinct shapes of their Pastificio Di Martino's PGI Gragnano pasta firsthand.
A Tavola offers a full pasta menu that includes some appetizers, their Seasonal and Untouchable pasta recipes and finally a choice of a few desserts. Located within La Devozione’s pasta shop area with additional seating outside (coming Spring 2023), A Tavola is La Devozione’s more casual, á la carte menu offering a selection of informal trattoria-style fare including starters, rotating seasonal pastas and signature Di Martino favorites like "The Untouchables."
All around this area are their products displayed for sale: 126 different pasta shapes displayed all along the side wall, some beautiful ceramics made in Italy and hand painted displayed on a big table in the middle of the restaurant together with some books with pasta recipes as well as some colorful and beautiful Moka pots. In addition, their tin boxes are designed by Dolce Gabbana.
We suggest trying their signature dish La Devozione (Spaghetti, tomato sauce, basil) a classic Neapolitan recipe that shows the versatility of their pasta, Candele con ragu napoletano and Ziti alla Genovese. The last two recipes are typical Neapolitan recipes.
Led by Bar Manager Cristhian Rodriguez, La Devozione's cocktail bar offers guests cocktails, wine and beer. Here, guests will find twists on classic cocktails that celebrate Italy's appreciation for food and sustainability. The Cocktail menu changes often throughout the year, right now one of our favorites is the Winter Brumble (Vodka, Old Duff Genever, lemon, Cranberry-Hibiscus, and winter spices), Let’s Get It Started (Tequila Marolo Milla, Honey, Ginger and Lemon, and the Espresso Martini (Vodka, Amaro della Sacra, black coffee liquor, hazelnut-miso and espresso).
PHOTO CREDITS | La Devozione
Read the JAN ISSUE #85 of Athleisure Mag and see ATHLEISURE LIST | A TAVOLA in mag.
At the end of last year, we were excited for the New Year to see what all the buzz about Kaleidoscope was all about! A move focuses on a series of colors that allows you to choose in which order you watch it in or you can see what was randomly selected for you. You're able to see how a major heist came together and depending on where you start you will either be many years prior to the heist, starting the the heist itself or the aftermath!
This cast includes Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, The Mandalorian) the mastermind, Tati Gabrielle (The 100, Uncharted, You) and Hemky Madera (Brockmire, Weeds, Queen of the South) to name a few from this ensemble.
Whether you are a fan of the video game or came to this show without prior knowledge, The Last Of Us has definitely become our Sunday show to watch! We learn how fungi can turn deadly in a new look at a dystopian society where humans navigate a world with those that are infected by a global pandemic.
Pedro Pascal (Game of Thrones, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Appeal, The Mandalorian) and Bella Ramsey (Game of Thrones, His Dark Materials, Becoming Elizabeth) navigate this world as he focuses on delivering her as man's last hope as she is immune to the virus that has taken people across the world, devastated cities and has created the need to merely survive as opposed to living the lives that they had hoped for!
We see this world through 2 lenses, how the world was prior to this occurrence and being able to find a new way to cope with the way that things are. We also see what it's like to grow up in a pandemic where one has no idea the way the world worked before mandates that have been put in place.
This podcast by the HBO team fills in the gaps for those of us that have not played the game, it also shares how the series differs from the game and we get first-hand knowledge from the creators as well as the man who voices the man character! We love a companion podcast!
We've all watched a true crime story that is being retold and played by actors, but Paul T. Goldman replays the events that took place with Paul playing himself and actors playing th other parts! In this retelling, we realize that although the swindle on some level took place, Paul's belief in what happened may not be as accurate as he thinks it is and we're left to wonder what really did happen - but it makes for a great binge on a lazy afternoon!
Read the JAN ISSUE #85 of Athleisure Mag and see BINGELY STREAMING in mag.
There are many paths and ways to work in the food industry and A Taste of Opportunity: An Insider's Guide to Boosting Your Career, Making Your Mark, & Changing the Food Industry from Within provides this insight. Renee Guilbault is an industry veteran who shares how you can get your start in this field, moving up the ranks, going into management or executive tracks. She even highlights challenges that may take place as you climb up the ladder and how you can navigate them to excel.
The need to be accepted and to belong to a group of people that you aspire to can be a strong feeling! We meet Clare in Edinburgh, a student who feels this sentiment as she strives to reinvent herself. By attending the university solo, she's able to hide dark secrets that she is running from. She meets a well to do classmate, Tabitha and knows that a friendship with her is a no-brainer! By getting in with her, she will also be included in her circle where she can travel with them, enjoy dinner parties and have her social status rise quickly. She knows that this is where she belongs and feels comfortable in how it all came together.
While enjoying her new life, she is asked to assist Tabitha in a project that she would prefer not to do. By the time she realizes that she should have trusted her gut, it's too late to turn back and she is firmly on this path whether she wants to be or not.
We see what it's like in the paradigm of wanting to be in while seeing what one will do in order to be accepted in The Things We Do To Our Friends.
We love a good whodunit and Agatha Christie took us through great mysteries led by Hercule Poirot and Jane Marple. In MARPLE, this new novel is the first in 45 years that allows us to travel the world with 12 new stories We're immersed in this work with writers that
have recreated Agatha Christie's voice with Naomi Alderman, Leigh Bardugo, Alyssa Cole, Lucy Foley, Elly Griffiths, Natalie Haynes, Jean Kwok, Val McDermid, Karen M. McManus, Dreda Say Mitchell, Kate Mosse and Ruth Ware.
Read the JAN ISSUE #85 of Athleisure Mag and see BINGELY BOOKS in mag.
Read the JAN ISSUE #85 of Athleisure Mag and see NEW YEAR, N3W YOU in mag.
Read the JAN ISSUE #85 of Athleisure Mag and see 9LST STORI3S | Chef Nyesha Arrington in mag.
